Ex-yakuza create high demand for prosthetics fingers

In Japan, yakuza members who commit severe offenses lop off their left pinkies in a ritual known as the ‘yubitsume’, with more digits progressively sacrificed with subsequent offenses. Faced with social stigma when they try to re-adjust back to Japanese society, this has inadvertently led to a high demand for prosthetics in the form of fingers.

As ex-yakuza member Shigeru Takei told ABC News, “If you don’t have fingers, there’s no way to get a sales job.” Prosthetics maker Shintaro Hayashi says about 5% of his clientele ask for this procedure — with regular customers returning three or four times a year as the fake fingers deteriorate from wear and tear or discolor with seasons.

About the author

Low Lai Chow travels light and is working on exercising demons from her past. Find out more about her at lowlaichow.com.

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